Little-known Brian Hoyer could do little to boost the Arizona quarterback situation in 2012. (US Presswire)

A quarter of the way through Arizona’s season, it was almost As across the board. The defense was playing lights out, the offense did just enough to get the job done and the special teams were doing their part to help lift the team to a 4-0 start. But the Cardinals put the F in finish, as they went 1-11 to close the season, leading to the termination of head coach Ken Whisenhunt and general manager Rod Graves.

Offense: F

It would not be cruel or unusual to call the Arizona offense the worst in the NFL in 2012. The Cardinals were punished enough by the rest of the NFL, ranking last in the league in rushing at 75.3 yards per game and 28th in passing at 187.8 yards per game. This is a squad that went more than 25 straight quarters without a passing touchdown, that went more than 10 quarters without an offensive touchdown of any kind, and even worse, an offense that squandered the immense talents of Larry Fitzgerald. That’s what happens when a clown-car full of quarterbacks needs more tinkering than a used ’92 Ford Taurus. By the end of the year, not John Skelton nor Kevin Kolb nor Ryan Lindley but scrap-heap pickup Brian Hoyer was leading the offense.

Defense: C+

The scary little secret about the Arizona defense was that as good as it looked early, the stats really didn't support the idea that the Cardinals were "dominant." Sure, Arizona shut down Russell Wilson, Tom Brady and Michael Vick in consecutive weeks to start the season. And yes, the Cardinals ultimately ranked fifth in the NFL in opposing passing yards. But Arizona ranked 28th against the run and allowed 27-plus points in five of its last eight games.

Special teams: C+

Jay Feely was good, hitting 25 of 28 field goals while connecting on all 25 of his PAT attempts. Dave Zastudil was great, booming 112 punts for 5,209 yards, an average of 46.5, with 46 punts inside the 20-yard line. But Patrick Peterson regressed in his job as punt returner, slipping to just 8.2 yards per return with zero touchdowns, and William Powell and LaRod Stephens-Howling were not particularly special in the kick-return game. Ultimately, it was a sound job by Arizona's special teams, but it fell short of what was expected after last season.

Coaching: D

Done in by myriad injuries that struck all over the field, the Arizona coaching staff was in scramble mode from just about the beginning of the season. That the Cardinals won four straight to open the season was a shock, with Whisenhunt receiving praise from across the league and the defense being compared to the best in the game. But a third straight year of poor quarterback play was just too much for Whisenhunt and Co. to overcome. Late in the year, there was some dissension among the ranks, and things spiraled quicker than Whisenhunt could handle.

Cumulative GPA: 1.4 

For more news and analysis from Cardinals blogger Jon Gold, follow @CBSCardinals on Twitter.